UPND President Hakainde Hichilema and his Vice Geoffrey Mwamba today appeared in the Luanshya Magistrate Court in a case where they are charged with seditious practices and unlawful assembly.

The case however failed to take off as the presiding magistrate was attending a workshop in Ndola.

The matter has since been adjourned to October 16 and 17 for continued trial.

President Hichilema and Dr Mwamba were both in attendance with a host of their sympathizers.

And the state prosecutor prosecuting the matter is also out of town.

When the matter was called, the state informed the applied to Luanshya senior resident Magistrate Dominic Makaliche that the matter be adjourned.

Defence lawyer Chimuka Magubwi said the state had put a notice to have the matter adjourned.

“To save the PP from embarrassment, the issue is that there is a notice to have the matter adjourned from the NPA. The dates are already agreed,” Magubwi said.

Magistrate Makaliche after consulting with the sitting magistrate John Mbuzi adjourned the matter to October 16, 17 for continued trial.

Speaking in an Interview with ZANIS Ministry of Labour Public Relations Officer, Anita Nachilima Chadukwa says it sad that people are exposing children as young as six years to bad vises such as sending them to sell things in drinking places.

This follows concerns from the members on the increased number of children selling foodstuffs in drinking places in Chunga and Matero townships, respectively.

Ms. Chaduka says engaging children below the age of sixteen in any form of labour such as selling food stuffs in drinking places is against the law.

‘’Sending children to sale foodstuff in drinking places deprives children of their childhood because they are forced to abandon school due to pressure from parents who force them to help the family by going sale foodstuffs in places such as bars, ” she said.

Ms Chadukwa emphasized the need for children to be given an opportunity to go to school and get educated in a conducive environment that will help them adopt good behavior that a child is entitled to.

She has cautioned people in Child labour to desist from the vice as it may affect a child’s psychological and physical development.

“It is sad that able bodied parents are putting children’s lives at risk by sending them to drinking places at night when they can do it themselves,” She added.

Ms Chakuda has called on the members of the Public to desist from sending young people from selling foodstuffs drinking places.

Meanwhile a concerned parent, Hope Mwitwa says it is unfortunate that some parents and guardians were now assigning young ones to sell foodstuffs in bars while they stay home waiting for the child to bring money.

She also noted that a parent should always protect a child by taking them to school and exposing them to positive things by not exposing them things that might negatively affect them.

A -24-year-old United Party for National Development (UPND) Councilor suspected to be part of a group of UPND cadres who beat up a Patriotic Front (PF) cadre on Thursday’s Council Chairperson By-election in Itezhi Tezhi District has been charged and arrested.

Itezhi Tezhi District Commissioner Hendrix Kaimana has confirmed today that police have charged Boyd Musangu who is a UPND Itumbi Ward Councilor for allegedly assaulting Osward Hampota, 38, a PF Youth Chairperson in Mulilabanyama area.

Mr. Kaimana says that Musangu , who is the youngest Councilor in the Itezhi Tezhi district council, was reportedly in the company of people suspected to be UPND cadres who brutally attacked and assaulted Hampota.

Mr. Kaimana said that the suspected UPND cadres are at large and the Itezhi Tezhi police are pursuing them.

He said that it was sad that generally peaceful by-election has been dented again with political violence.

The Commissioner has appealed to political parties to be tolerant of divergent views as politics were not war but just a game where the victors and the vanquished should shake hands and move on.

“The past By-election was peaceful except for this isolated incident which has just emerged today. Electoral violence should be stopped because, it intimidates people and has potential to cause voter apathy” Mr. Kaimana said.

Meanwhile the Victim, Osward Hampota has told ZANIS in an interview that Musangu and others allegedly approached him after he came out of the polling station and started interrogating him about who he voted for and when he told them that he belonged to PF, they attacked him.

Mr Hampota said that suspected UPND cadres later bundled him up and threw him in a white Toyota Hilux Van and sped away to Namasuntwe area in Masasabi area where he was made to lie on an anthill as they took turns , flogging him.

He narrated that they hauled insults at him and beat him up.

“When they made me lie on the anthill, they told me to call President Lungu to save me, ” Hampota narrated

He said that the suspected cadres allegedly told him that Itezhi Tezhi was a no go area for PF and claimed that no Tonga person can belong to PF.

“They told me that I was a traitor and that I was not supposed to support parties other than UPND.” Hampota narrated.

He said that Musangu allegedly started hitting him with a stone he was holding in his hands.

Explained said that cadres also threatened to put him in a suck and throw him in Kafue River if he was not going to cooperate.

Hampota narrated that the cadres also stole K160 from his wallet and told him that it was for riding their vehicle.

He further said that he was only rescued around 02:00 hours by his brother Wiseman Hampota who rushed him to Police and Itezhi Tezhi district Hospital.

Retired Pastor Malambo Shimukonka of Seventh day Adventist church says Love should be the driving principle of any action in marriage..

Pastor Shimukonka says marriage is not as easy as it looks, as it requires love, respect and patience from both partners.

He was speaking during the Marriage Reception Ceremony of Zambia News and information Services (ZANIS) Assistant Director Technical Services Victor Hachimbi’s daughter Nsole who got married to Pastor Runhard Moomba, at Council hall over the weekend at in Lusaka.

He further advised the couple to keep in tune with God so that their marriage can grow strong.

Speaking at the same event Mr Armitage Mulonga who is the uncle to the bride advised the couple to continue being opened minded.

He encouraged them to continue listening to advise from parents and consult elders in order to learn and understand marriage.

The Zambian Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) says the legal requirement for public institutions to form Integrity Committees will help seal lope-holes and practices that breed corruption.

Anti- Corruption Commission Acting Director General Kapetwa Phiri says Integrity Committees in public institutions have boosted the fight against corruption through introduction of whistle-blower policies and service charters in law enforcement and regulatory institutions.

He expressed happiness with the progress that Zambia has so far recorded in the fight against corruption as 56 organisation had formed Integrity Committees of which 54 were in the public sector.

Mr. Phiri was speaking today at the Commonwealth Africa Heads of Anti- Corruption Agencies Training being held in Pretoria South Africa which has drawn the participation of over 13 countries from Africa

He said Zambia has scored significant achievements towards the creation of a corrupt free Zambia by embracing e-governance as a mechanism of reducing contact between members of the public and service providers.

Mr. Phiri said the creation of a corrupt free Zambia was a national program as government was inculcating ethical values and patriotism in its citizens.

And Mr. Phiri has called for increased collaboration between Anti-Corruption agencies across Africa to help bring out coordination among countries in fighting corruption as it was transboundary nature .

He observed that coordination among agencies would help to successfully prosecute economic crimes whose proceeds have been invested in foreign jurisdiction.

Over fifty Zesco poles that were stationed at Chama Day Secondary school have been burnt by unknown people in Chama district.

And Ministry of Gender Permanent secretary Felix Phiri who is in the area on a tour to hand over tillers and Tractors has described the act as unfortunate.

Dr. Phiri says the development will slow down efforts by Government to improve the welfare of people.

Chama district Commissioner Leonard Ngoma has told ZNBC news at the scene of the incident that the fire was noticed around 12:00 hours.

Mr. Ngoma says it is strange that the poles got burnt within the premises of the school.

He explained that the poles were put at the school for connecting power in Makeni compound.

Mr. Ngoma says Zesco authorities in the area have reported the matter to police.

Meanwhile, Chama council secretary Judith Mambo has appealed to Government to consider allocating a fire tender to the district.

Mrs. Mambo says the council could not put off the fire due to lack of a fire tender